The Morning After the Night Before
by happyinchintz72
Summary: Luke & Reid Centric. First part in a series of shameless fluff! Luke returns from his trip away and pays Reid a visit ... 3 part story
1. The Night Before

Reid sat alone in Katie's lounge with a tub of ice cream and a spoon for company. Usually this would be acceptable and being alone wouldn't have seemed so alien, but now with the addition of Luke Snyder, Reid had slowly started to realise that accepting loneliness wasn't his only option.

He had spent the entire day in scrubs and sneakers going from one consultation room to another and had spent a significant amount of hours in the operating room with a pretty difficult tumour case, all having left him feeling weary and aching from head to toe.

He tried to shut off his brain. The fact that Luke crept into it so often was not only annoying and distracting but it was the fact that it came with a warmth right in the pit of his stomach and a fluttery feeling right inside his chest ... This. Was. The. Problem.

_Bob Hughes. Not so senile after all_. He was right and it wasn't easy to admit it. In fact it was downright annoying. Luke was always going to be the spoiled rich kid from the inbred cookie cutter town with a penchant for bribery and blackmail ... and god did Reid love that.

Now, on top of all of this, Luke was also the guy with the deepest brown eyes and the cheekiest smile, the sharpest tongue and the feistiest temper Reid had come across for a while. The damned kid even gave him a run for his money- he loved this too.

_Stop it_, Reid thought. _For someone who knows the brain inside and out you have a hell of a problem with controlling it._

This was inconvenient at best. Reid knew Luke felt something for him, or else he wouldn't be in this position. Noah's surgery and the aftermath wasn't easy but it wasn't hard for Reid to build those barriers again- the hard part was keeping them up. One look from Luke or one touch and his resolve weakened. Not ideal.

Definitely not ideal when the last thing Reid remembered hearing Luke saying was that Noah was the love of his life and the only man in the world for him. Ouch. Reid made a mental note to put a pin in this god damned obsession, _yes that's all it was and it didn't hurt at all_.

Luke had gone away to his parent's cottage in the forest, or wherever the hell these rich people went to pretend they were 'one with nature', to try and sort his head out, leaving Noah in advanced recovery and Reid to work. Great. Reid hadn't spent every odd minute glancing over his shoulder expecting to see Luke idling towards him, hands in pockets and with a cute grin plastered on his face... _no, he hadn't_...

Reid had seen Luke talking to Bob and wondered so knew he was back in town. He wondered if Luke was asking for him. He'd mentally slapped himself for that, he was probably looking for Noah, and gone back to focusing entirely on saving lives. _More important, right? Way more important than a yo-yoing blonde with dimples and ... Oh Shut up_, _focus on ... god anything else._

Now, sitting at home with a defiant stab of a spoon into solid ice-cream, Reid reminded himself that he was a world class neurosurgeon, a pretty damned decent looking one too so who wouldn't want a piece of this ... _Jesus. Low. Point. Feel like fucking Carrie Bradshaw._ He made a mental note to tell Katie to burn her stupid self indulgent bullshit boxsets. Not that he ever watched them while letting sandwich making last that little bit longer to catch the end ... _never_.

The sports channel flickered and went grey. Reid felt his blood pressure sky rocket. He jabbed the off button and flung the remote across the room. One more thing to add to the list of why the past few weeks had been hell. Number one being that god awful ache in his stomach. The one he'd been trying to drown out with surgery and sandwiches.

The door bell rang as Reid stuffed one more mouthful of chocolate chip icre-cream into his mouth. Climbing over the sofa, he was sure Katie hadn't left her key at home.

As he opened the door, he swallowed the ice-cream quickly and felt that headache ... that really bad hea...

"Hi."

Fuck.

Luke stood, hands in pockets and looking significantly refreshed with a new haircut to boot. _Can he make this any harder?_ Reid's brain froze, literally, and he felt those barriers padlock themselves.

"Mr Snyder, you decided to grace us all with your presence again. Lucky Oakdale."

"It's nice to see you too, Docctooorrr Ollliivvveerrr." Luke laboured his name, making a point of letting Reid know he was being snarky. _God this kid thinks he's so cute_.

"Yea, well, I can hardly say the feeling's mutual but I guess seeing as you've no doubt come over here for a reason, you might as well come in."

Reid opened the door fully and let Luke step inside. He felt his stomach lurch and his palms start to sweat. Luke in such close proximity did this to him. _This was not going to be easy_.

"So... how's the new wing coming on?" As Reid turned around to see Luke leaning back against the dining table resting on his hands with his eyebrows raised. _Small talk was going to painful._ Reid attempted to force his eyes to stop looking at the tiny sliver of toned stomach showing as Luke's t-shirt slid up and answered...

"Fine. You know, Bob gets on my back about my 'bedside manner' and the budget, Doogie Hughes rears his ugly head expecting a look in on the progress, Kim thinks I'm an ass and –"

"And she'd be right." Luke smirked.

"Oh well thank you. Now you can leave." Reid gestured towards the door.

"Wow, I've been gone a week and you've already lost your sense of humour. Nice work Doc."

Reid's stomach flipped again. He loved this. Loved it so much he could scream. This was something he craved. Someone to fight back, someone to put up a challenge and someone who was as god damned cute as Luke while doing it. _Why can't this happen like it nearly did before Noah's surgery?_

"Wow! You're so clever," Reid's words dripped with sarcasm, "You pick that up on your little trip cos it sure as hell wasn't there before?"

Luke stood up straight and stepped towards Reid.

"As a matter of fact I think I learned it from the master," Luke kept stepping forward and Reid felt his skin burn and tingle, "there's only one pompous ass around here and he does sarcasm reaaaaalllllyyyy well. Think it must have rubbed off on me."

Reid tried not to smile. He fought so hard to stop himself from reaching out and grabbing fistfuls of Luke's jacket and kissing him like crazy. _This is some sort of bitter sweet agony._ He enjoyed the verbal sparring so much he didn't want it to stop. He knew the second it did he'd lose his fight.

"Is that right?" Luke was now only a metre away and Reid felt himself catch his breath. This was not the way it usually went. Why wasn't he in charge here?

"Yep, and you know it." Luke raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to one side. They suddenly lost their rhythm and something stopped.

The silence was deafening. Reid could feel his heart beat in his ears. Something changed and Luke pushed his hands in his pockets and looked down at the floor.

"I'm not with Noah." Luke's words came quick. His confident exterior melted slightly as he peered nervously under his eyelids at Reid.

The broken silence now seemed significant. They'd just entered a whole new territory.

"Good for you."

"Dr Oli...Reid- don't be an ass."

"Oh charming. Thanks for the reminder Mr Snyder but the invitation to leave is still there when you get the hint."

Reid felt irritated. Noah again, always Noah and to be honest, he was sick of the name, sick of the conversation and sick of the fact that he found it difficult to comprehend why sometimes he even felt himself being compared to him. This guy was Luke's first love, granted, but acting like a petulant child, pushing and pulling and never having the guts to just grow the hell up and face things ... these things got to Reid. Sure, Noah was a good kid but for Luke, not so much. He felt anger even acknowledging the fact that he was internally discussing this.

"You don't want me to leave."

"Oh and he's a mind reader too! Ladies and Gentlemen, roll up roll up, the amazing Luke Snyder is going to attempt to-"

Reid's words were drowned out by Luke's gentle yet forceful lips. He couldn't move and his brain turned to mush. With his heart pounding and skin on fire, he felt Luke's fingers tracing up his neck finding handfuls of his hair to softly hold. He shivered with desire and felt his heavy eyes close as he kissed back.

Nothing in the world felt better. Maybe brain surgery ... that was different though, just as good but different. This was something else. God damned heaven.

Reid felt fireworks in his fingertips as his hands met Luke's chest and in a frenzied moment, neither knew where to touch or where to kiss, first.

Luke's hands still clutching at Reid's hair, Reid's finger looping into Luke's belt pulling his hips closer, Reid's other hand running slowly and purposefully up Luke's chest making him shudder. Reid felt his breathing catch as Luke pressed his entire body, in response, against his own and forced them against the door.

Reid, turning them both around, pressed Luke firmly against the door, mid kiss and held his head in his hands. As their kisses became slower and deeper, Reid felt dizzy but in control. He could feel Luke melting under his touch and as Reid slowly dragged his lips down to Luke's jaw, then to his neck causing Luke to make noises he could barely stand, then to his collar bone...

"Reid..." Luke's breathless word was overlooked. Reid couldn't stop. He never wanted to.

He silenced with his lips and let his fingers find Luke's shirt buttons. He was interrupted as he squirmed beneath Luke's cool hands sliding upwards under his blue cotton uniform. This was nothing he'd ever experienced before. He wanted Luke, hated him, envied him, craved him, pitied him, needed him, loved... god he loved this.

Between swollen lips, Reid let his tongue find Luke's and his mind was officially blown. Luke was edible. Luke's arms had wound their way around Reid's neck and had tightened, pressing his warm body along every contour of Reid's. This wasn't just lust anymore... after weeks of tension and confusion, hurt and aching... this was complete and utter blissful abandon. This was scary.

Reid's eyes opened and his body, now taut and rigid, shocked Luke into awareness.

"Don't you dare." Luke, dazed and swooning, leaned in once more and tickled his lips along Reid's jaw and as their mouths met again, Reid's fear was gone.

He wanted Luke like he'd never imagined wanting anyone. In slipping Luke's belt out of its buckle and unbuttoning his jeans, Reid knew they were crossing boundaries. Hell they were steam rollering them.

They were on fire. Luke fought to pull against Reid's grey t-shirt underneath his overtop and pulled the material slowly over Reid's head, only breaking the kiss for seconds. Any eye contact was solid and unwavering, eyes wide and sparkling. Luke's hands traced up Reid's chest then laced into his hair as he held on tight. Luke, now shirtless, couldn't breathe. Intensity took over and as Reid unbuttoned his jeans, his hands moving lower, Luke felt his body shake. He pressed all of himself against Reid and tightly grabbing the man's shoulders leaving small marks of pressure along his flushed skin. Reid could feel every millimetre of touch.

"Luke?" Incapable of much else, he knew he had to speak as the pace was like lightening.

Luke's sigh of desire as his head fell onto Reid's shoulder was an answer in itself.

"If you stop right now I'm never speaking to you again." Luke's pleading, his face inches away, caused Reid to smile slowly.

His lips tickled Luke's as he spoke.

"Stopping is not an option," Luke had never heard anything quite as sexy as that one line in his life, "I just want to make sure you're ok."

Before Reid could stop himself, he had let those words come out. Luke stopped and fixed his brown eyes on Reid's, unwavering and full of giddiness.

"I'm good. I'm really good. I'm amazing. Why are you talking right now?" Luke's lips teased slowly and lovingly along Reid's jawline, a habit Luke had and something Reid could get very used to.

Reid, unable to understand why in hell he was doing this, continued, "I just want to make sure that-"

Luke stopped and fixed his eyes once more, inching closer and closer with each word. "Right now, I want you. Last week, I wanted you. Next week, I'll want you. Hell, even a year ago, I wanted you... I just didn't know it yet. I am here aren't I? I haven't been to see him yet, I didn't even want to until I'd seen you...Only you."

Luke's words poured out, like warm butter on toast. Reid grabbed Luke's face in his hands and let his lips stop the words, those unnecessary words that Reid didn't need to hear. He wanted to, he needed to, but later. Right now, there was an afternoon just waiting to be filled and Reid knew exactly how he was going to fill it. So much better, sweeter and satisfying than eating ice-cream alone.


	2. The Morning After

Waking up was never something Reid found easy. Hours of work made you ache in places you never though possible and it was always a struggle, but not today. This was far from a struggle.

Reid's heart had never felt full before. He was always aware of it and had just accepted that this was it. Lying naked with an incredibly gorgeous blonde wrapped up in his arms was what it took to prove him wrong.

The sight of Luke's messy blonde head tucked unto the crook of his neck was too much. _When did I become so damned soppy?_ Resisting Luke was impossible, this much he knew, but the very fact that Luke had chosen him and had actively explained to Noah that this was his decision, made it to much more difficult. There was no need to resist now. He sighed and shocked himself at the undertone of contentment.

...

"Ok ... I have never... ever... been as comfortable as I am right now." Luke whispered groggily. He shuffled closer to Reid and snuggled his head deeper. Luke felt as if he was keeping his heart from bursting.

"I didn't realise you were awake." Reid whispered into Luke's hair, his warm breath causing Luke to shudder slightly.

"I was just lying thinking."

"Oh that's dangerous." Reid teased. Luke peered up under his eyelids and mocked a scowl followed by a slow smile.

"Really? Even after sex, you still can't play nice?"

Reid smirked slightly, leaning closer with each word. "Mr Snyder, you know fine well I can play very ... very ... very... nice."

Luke shivered as Reid's lips met his gently, his eyelashes fluttering closed. _Damn he was sexy_. He never imagined Reid could be so soft and tender too. This was a side to the doctor that nobody else saw and Luke felt so lucky.

Luke felt Reid's hand slide down his back and rest in the nook right at the bottom. With frustrated pleasure, Luke pressed himself closer and closer with each kiss. He couldn't get close enough.

When Reid's lips eventually pulled away, Luke lazily snuggled his head back into Reid's neck and let his right arm fall across the doctor's chest to his shoulder. He gently stroked the soft skin and wondered if he was the first person to see Reid like this or to touch him in this way. He could never tell. He always felt his youth when he was around the doctor but was somehow treated as an equal, something new to Luke. He was sure that someone like Reid had been with plenty of guys before.

"Reid?"

"Yea?"

At Luke's words, Reid's right arm, the one trapped under Luke's body wound its way up to play with his messy blonde strands and he shuddered again. Never had someone made him feel like this before, ever nerve ending was tingling and he wanted to cry.

"I'm sorry."

Reid closed his eyes tight and frowned. "Luke, you really don't have to do this."

Luke tilted his head to fix his brown eyes on Reid's and carried on. "I do. I really do because you didn't deserve the way I treated you. I'm so sorry. I know I can be spoiled and impulsive and I know I can be an ass at times but I was so confused and especially because you make me feel so ..."

He stopped and didn't know what to say to carry on.

"I didn't exactly make it any easier on you." Reid's playful fingers tickled Luke's hair on the back of his neck and Luke felt himself squirm and sigh.

"Oh my god..." Luke sighed and gave up. Reid smiled slowly and understood. Words were just not enough right now and even trying to think was impossible. This shit was intoxicating.

"I swear if you don't stop playing with my hair I'm going to die."

"Not dramatic at all ..."

"Since when are you like this?" Luke rested his chin on Reid's chest, peering upwards.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... since when are you so ... oh god I don't know ... THIS!"

Reid chuckled quietly. "Tell anyone and you will die. I mean it."

Now it was Luke's turn to laugh. He buried his face in Reid's neck again and knew this was his new favourite place. "How long have we got before you go off to save lives and scrub up?" Luke internally prayed that this one day could last forever.

"I've got a consultation at one."

"Ok."

Luke sneakily planted a kiss on the spot between Reid's jaw and ear. He felt the doctor sink lower into the mattress and pull him closer.

"Has anyone ever told you how cute you are?"

"Doctor Oliver, you just called me cute."

"Like I said, tell anyone and you die."

Luke softly chuckled.

"Luke?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Course."

"Where did you get your scar?"

Luke stiffened and Reid felt it. He panicked he'd crossed the line and tried to back peddle.

Luke re-rested his chin on Reid's chest and sighed. He spent the next few minutes explaining everything, from his surgery, his drinking, Colonel Mayer and the rest o the insanity that seemed to make up his past.

When he finished, Reid lay wide eyed and sighed loudly. Luke felt anxious. He'd never really told anyone all of that before, especially not while cuddling someone, lying naked and vulnerable.

As Luke' head found its favourite resting place, Reid's fingers traced gently patterns on the back of his neck sending jolts of pure pleasure every which way.

"Thank you."

"What for?"

"For not freaking out when I told you."

Reid laughed instantly. "Luke, that's not my style."

Luke wondered if this moment could possibly get any better.

"Do you maybe want to stay tonight?"Luke glanced at Reid's serious face and smiled as he was sure he could see the start of a blush forming.

"Definitely."

That was all Reid needed to hear. He tightened his grip on Luke, pulled him close and rested his chin on Luke's head. _Damn this was perfect._

"Although I want a replay of last night. Whatever you did. Do it again. Lots." Luke blushed and nervously laughed.

Reid knew he was good, hell he was talented at more than brain surgery, but he also knew Luke didn't have much experience. _What the hell had Noah been doing all these years?_

Reid let his hand glide down Luke's chest, sliding slowly until Luke shuddered and let out a small sound that sent Reid insane.

"Your wish is my command." He cheekily smirked as Luke pulled himself up to hungrily kiss at Reid's lips. Reid's hand didn't stop and Luke felt his eyes roll and his breathing stutter. Reid felt every second and ever emotion and wanted to show Luke everything he'd been missing. He kinda loved seeing Luke squirm.

The kissing grew deeper and harder. Reid's hands finishing the job as Luke trembled with desire. Reid's laboured touch drew patterns as he forcefully pushed his hands up Luke's back and into his hair. Luke's fingers played frantically with Reid's skin, hair, ears ... anything. He couldn't stop touching and kissing...

Closer and deeper, faster and harder.

As Reid felt his touch lighten, he gently laced his fingers through Luke's hair and drew him down to a gentle and slow kiss.

"Please don't go to work," Luke pleaded between soft kisses, "tell them you're ill or, I don't know, anything, just don't stop..."

Luke frowned deeper into the kiss and Reid whispered "I told you Luke ... stopping is not an option."


	3. Breakfast

Reid was sure he was dreaming. If someone had told him six months ago he'd be exiting the shower in a pretty smart house after a night of, well, mindblowing sex with a cute blonde around ten years his junior he'd have told them they were... well it'd have involved some unrepeatable words.

To top it off, this particular cute blonde was making bagels in nothing but Reid's scrub trousers. Reid was about to shout "fuck it, just marry me!" when Luke caught him staring.

"What?" The blush crept up Luke's cheeks as he coyly leaned backwards against the kitchen counter top, "Don't you like bagels?"

"You're making me breakfast?" Reid, only in his towel, found himself enjoying Luke's bashfulness. He loved those little moments when Luke lost his feisty confidence, after all, a world class neurosurgeon is used to being in charge and feeling powerful. He had an idea Luke kinda liked that too.

As he stepped gradually towards Luke, Reid saw him shuffle slightly and smile slowly.

"Yes, of course I'm making you breakfast. It's give and take you know?"

"Oh and you'd know all about that wouldn't you Mr Snyder?" Reid stood across Luke, arms either side of him, pinning him to the counter.

"Doctor Oliver, you're making me blush." Luke was far from timid now. His eyes were sparkling.

"You're actually making me breakfast. Nobody's made me breakfast before...well...not like this."

Luke frowned slightly, "What? Never?"

"No." Reid didn't see anything that unusual about that. He was used to be alone, he was good at it. Luke felt a sadness wash over him. How could a guy like Reid go through life never knowing moments like this?

"Oh Doctor Oliver, I am about to blow your mind," Luke winked and trailed his fingers from Reid's hands all the way up his arms and wrapped them around Reid's neck. Reid smirked and sighed deliciously, closing his eyes. Luke planted a gentle lazy kiss on his lips and then pushed him backwards, "now go and get dressed and leave me get this ready."

Reid wasn't used to being told what to do but took one look at Luke's satisfied smile and his glow of pride and knew he was going to obey without question. What had this kid done to him?

In ten minutes, Reid was dressed in scrubs and was ready to eat. He threaded his fingers together, turned them inside out and stretched his arms above his head. Feeling contented , he stepped into the kitchen where an incredible smell filled the room. Luke had laid out most of Katie's cupboards on the table and had even folded little napkins onto breakfast plates. Reid really had to fight this sense of giddiness. He smiled and bit his lip. Wow.

"Oh, you're ready!" Luke beamed at him, now wearing one of Reid's t-shirts, "Come on. Sit."

"You are actually ordering me around. You have some nerve." Reid teased.

"Shut up and eat." Luke planted a quick but purposeful kiss on Reid's head and he felt dizzy.

After eating what could only be described as a plate of heaven, Reid sat back and breathed heavily with puffed cheeks.

Luke sat with his head resting on this propped up hand. His lazy smile and dough eyes caused whirlwinds of this indescribable feeling in Reid's chest. This was bad. Very very bad.

"What is it?" Luke's brow creased and he leaned towards a suddenly very serious Reid.

Reid knew this was going to have to happen at some point. He chose now. Nothing had felt as incredible as the past two day and he just wanted to frantically keep a hold of this feeling, these looks, these smells... this was either going to hurt like hell or turn him into the new Bob Hughes... a sentimental sod. Hey, if Luke wanted to turn him squishy he was more than up for that, it'd just mean verbally abusing a few more nurses per day.

"You just made me breakfast. You spent the night with me. You told me you wanted me. You opened up to me. You made me call you cute. You're sitting here wearing my t-shirt and half of my hospital scrubs and smiling that smile."

Luke's smile grew wider and with a tiny shrug and shiney eyes he replied.

"So?"

"Sooooo... this is not normal.I mean, why are you even here?"

Luke seemed hurt. He looked down and something in Reid's stomach tightened.

"Luke ... look-"

"Not normal? What do you mean not normal? Do you not want me to be here?"

"Woah Luke. Stop." Reid felt frantic and didn't like the way this was going. This kid was sensitive and he knew this from the outset. It was part of his charm but Reid didn't do sensitive, honesty was his thing.

"Reid. Go to hell." Luke stood up, knocking bottle over on the table and started to walk towards the bedroom. His face rigid and his head down. Reid found it amusing how he looked insanely hot when he was angry and felt tempted to leave him for a second, just so he could enjoy it.

"Come here." Reid's voice was sharp and commanding.

Luke stopped and turned. "What makes you think I'm going to do anything you tell me to? This isn't normal... do you have any idea how that sounds? If you don't like it, you know where you can do don't you? You can spend your days chopping into brains alone in your own world, come home alone and sleep alone in that big bed of yours. I don't care."

Luke was being petulant, he knew he was but it was knee jerk reaction. In his entire life he couldn't remember a time when he'd felt like he was living and breathing pure happiness- even if it was with a self obsessed egotistical jerk. Reid was ruining it.

"Come here, Luke." Reid's face was soft and Luke wanted nothing more than to obey but he was going to fight.

"No," Reid nearly let out a laugh. God Luke was impossible and it was strangely fun, "you need to answer a question first."

"Ok. Go on." Reid felt resolve and gave Luke his chance to speak.

"How do you feel about me?" Reid couldn't believe Luke was asking this. Had he not spent the entire night cocooned in bed with this kid and kissed every square inch of his body? Had he not done things to Luke's body that he'd only ever dreamed of? Had he not talked till the early hours of the morning about his life and opened up like he'd never experienced before? Luke had no idea.

"Luke..."

"No, you need to answer this. You asked me a few weeks back and I couldn't give you an answer. I answered yesterday. Now it's your turn."

"Screw answers Luke, if you can't see how I feel about you then you're no more intelligent than half of the in-breeds in this town."

"Ouch. Doesn't hurt I'm afraid. Doesn't work with me anymore. Answer the question. " Luke stood defiantly, eyebrows raised.

Reid felt himself fall in love with Luke a little in that moment. Nobody knew him like this. He glanced down at his feet.

As he slowly let his gaze drift upwards to meet Luke's eyes, he moved towards him and Reid, for the first time in his life, felt truly nervous. Remembering a few weeks back when he had prompted Luke for answers and had been nothing but confident and predatory... he now felt exposed.

"So?" Luke prompted.

"You... you smiled when I walked in the room."

Luke's head swam with relief and understanding. He closed his eyes and sighed dreamily.

"I hate you, you know that?"

"I know, I know," Reid let a small smirk develop as he stepped towards Luke, "I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure that this wasn't going away. That this wasn't temporary."

They stood so close that each could feel the heat of the other. Reid slid his right hand around Luke's waist and pulled him closer. Luke shivered at the touch. Reid's lips found Luke's gently, quickly turning to urgency and causing Luke to catch his breath and gab onto Reid's shoulders pushing them apart for a second.

Reid felt the confusion in his eyes. "What is it?"

"Stopping is not an option. This. All of this. Like you said, it's simply not an option."

"You know what? It's a good job Bob is in charge of rounds this morning."

Luke giggled and grabbed the front of Reid's t-shirt, "Why is that Doctor Oliver?"

"Because...Mr Snyder... you may be good at cooking and being cute but I happen to have skills in other departments."

"Is that right?" Luke flirted letting his playful eyes flicker to Reid's lips.

"Most definitely." Reid replied and within seconds they were locked in Reid's bedroom in a sea of duvet and clothes, both discovering something they'd craved for a long, long time.


End file.
